The race for BetMGM Premier League Play-Off qualification continues on Thursday, as Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries renew their rivalry in Birmingham.
Price overcame Humphries in a high-quality contest to claim his third nightly victory of the campaign in Liverpool last Thursday, which lifted him up to third in the Premier League table.
The Welshman boasts a three-point lead over Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen in fourth and fifth respectively, with just four nights of league action remaining before the season-ending Play-Offs.
“I just want to make the top four,” insisted Price, who has also celebrated nightly wins in Dublin and Nottingham this year.
“It doesn’t matter if I’m first, second, third or fourth, as long as I’m at The O2 in a few weeks. That’s my priority.
“The win in Liverpool eases the pressure on me going into this week, and when there’s no pressure on me, I’ll play some good darts!
“When I’m on my game, I am the best in the world. If I play my A-game, nobody will beat me, and I think they know that.”
Humphries, meanwhile, has featured in six nightly finals this season – a record only matched by league leader Luke Littler – and he could potentially overhaul the 18-year-old with victory in Birmingham.
Night 13 will also see Rob Cross and Michael van Gerwen lock horns in a crucial clash at the Utilita Arena, with Humphries or Price awaiting the winner in the semi-finals.
Van Gerwen and Cross are the only players without a nightly victory to their name in this year’s roadshow, and they arrive in the West Midlands in fifth and sixth positions respectively.
Seven-time champion Van Gerwen has won eight of his quarter-final tussles so far, with only Littler and Humphries matching that statistic.
The Dutch superstar boasts a three-point lead over Cross, who is bidding to feature in his first nightly final of 2025 after losing all seven of his semi-final tussles this season.
"It is probably crunch time now,” conceded Cross, who has won six of his last seven meetings against Van Gerwen.
"I need to keep performing and put points on the board, but I'm refreshed and I feel good.
"Michael will know all about the importance of the game. He's one of the most professional players I've ever met.
"I don't think previous records will mean anything tomorrow. The best man on the night will win, but it should be a great game, and hopefully I can find top gear when it matters."
The evening’s opener will feature a showdown between top and bottom in the league table, as reigning champion Littler takes on Stephen Bunting.
Bunting defeated Littler in their last meeting on Night 11, although the teenager had won their previous encounters by an aggregate scoreline of 12-3, averaging 112 and 109 in the process.
Aspinall and Chris Dobey will go head-to-head in the other quarter-final tie on Night 13, with Dobey desperate for a strong showing to maintain his Play-Off ambitions.
Dobey defeated Aspinall on his way to Night 11 glory in Rotterdam, although the Stockport star had won their previous five matches in a record dating back to February 2023.
Ranking points are awarded per night - with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists - to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 29.
The 2025 BetMGM Premier League will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (outside of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).
2025 BetMGM Premier League
Night 13 - Thursday May 1
Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler v Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall v Chris Dobey
Luke Humphries v Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross v Michael van Gerwen
Semi-Finals
Littler/Bunting v Aspinall/Dobey
Humphries/Price v Cross/Van Gerwen
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs
